The writing was on the wall after a disastrous performance at Copa America 2024, but the US Soccer made it official: Gregg Berhatler is out as USMNT head coach.
Unable to get out of a fairly easy group that included Bolivia, Panama, and Uruguay at the tournament hosted on American soil, this was a remarkably worrisome step back for a burgeoning program rife with young talent that plays in the “Big 5” leagues in Europe (England, Italy, Germany, Spain, and France) and finally the straw that broke the camel’s back in terms of Berhalter testing US Soccer’s patience.
The program has been experiencing a steady decline since its Round of 16 exit at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, which was supposed to announce the Americans’ arrival as a legitimate force on the world soccer stage. Instead, controversy from within its own ranks, a brief hiatus from Berhalter, and an unimpressive return that lacked results against top-tier opponents leave USMNT stuck in the same neutral gear it has often found itself in.
There are clear paths out of this rut, though, which is why the future should be looked upon as an opportunity for a golden generation for soccer in this country.
USMNT is by far filled with its most talent. Not only are there some players who are playing on the outskirts of big leagues in Europe, but most are contributors to powerhouse clubs.
Defender Cameron Carter-Vickers won the Scottish Premier League with Celtic. Ricardo Pepi and Malik Tillman won an Eredivisie title in the Netherlands with PSV Eindhoven. Weston McKennie and Tim Weah won the Coppa Italia with Juventus.
Five other players — Folarin Balogun (Monaco), Yunus Musah and Christian Pulisic (AC Milan), and Gio Reyna (Borussia Dortmund) will compete in the Champions League next season alongside the PSV duo that also features Sergino Dest, the talented wing-back who moved from Barcelona to the Netherlands this summer but missed Copa America with an injury.
Antonee Robinson and Tim Ream play in the Premier League for Fulham. Josh Sargent and Matt Turner are in England’s second division with Norwich City and Nottingham Forest — the latter was also the temporary home of Reyna, who was loaned from Dortmund last season.
The talent is undeniable. Now they need a manager who knows how to use it.
Berhalter’s tactics were maddening. Either he played too defensive-minded, which barred his star players from expressing themselves as seen in the 2022 World Cup, or he played like his team played in Major League Soccer — a high-pressing style that does not work against top international teams.
There was an assistance of playing out from the back, which the United States showed flashes of doing well. But they did not do it consistently enough to control possession and, with it, matches against elite opponents.
An established manager with experience on the world’s largest stages while nurturing its best players can unlock a new level for this young squad and he should have more than enough time to do it, even though the clock is ticking.
The 2026 World Cup is less than two years away and, like Copa America, is on home soil. This will be the perfect opportunity for USMNT to establish itself as one of the best on the planet while ushering in what should be the most successful period this team has ever experienced.
But it all comes down to the right person on the sidelines who knows how to pull the right strings. No pressure, US Soccer.
